What if Rodney McKay Never Joined a Gate Team?
by koinekid
Summary: A response to the what-if? challenge posted by ladygris and DaniWilder.
1. Chapter 1: Alternate Reality

**Disclaimer:** MGM owns SGA; KOI does NOT.

**Note:** A response to the _what if?_ challenge posed by _**DaniWilder **_and _**ladygris**_. Thanks to _**DaniWilder**_ for the beta read and a very helpful suggestion. The story is 500 words exactly.

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**What if...**

**Rodney McKay Never Joined a Gate Team?**

**by koinekid**

Rodney slammed his fist on the desk, upsetting a picture frame and sending it crashing to the floor. Glass shattered, but he didn't bat an eye. "We're three weeks behind already, and you want to send _my_ project leader into the field? Unacceptable."

"This is not up for discussion." Mister Woolsey rubbed his temples. "Colonel Sheppard has a lead on Michael—"

"And he needs a scientist to tramp through the muck with him?"

"What I need, McKay, is my teammate."

Sheppard stood in the doorway dressed to kill, literally, in the black ABUs standard for all gate teams. Clipped to his vest and held in a loose grip was a P90. Rodney had never been comfortable around firearms. Even after five years, he still flinched whenever he came this close to one. Sheppard saw the flinch and smirked.

"Your teammate," Rodney snapped, "is shirking his duties for a wild goose chase."

"Wild goose—" Sheppard's eyes narrowed, and he advanced into the office. "We're trying to save the galaxy!"

"And I'm trying to unlock the mysteries of the universe. Surely, you can find someone else to hike through the woods with."

"That man has saved my life a dozen times. All our lives, including yours." Sheppard jabbed a finger at Rodney's chest. "When I went to the future, _he_ sent me back. He said even you helped for once."

"Helped?" Rodney spat. "More than likely I completed the whole project myself. Just like I'll be doing if he goes on this mission."

"McKay, I'm warning you—"

"You failed to find Michael last time, and the time before that, and...hmm let's see...ah, yes, the time before that. Why would this time be any different?"

"The intel is solid. No, I won't justify myself to you." Sheppard looked at the base administrator. "Mister Woolsey?"

"Assemble your team, Colonel."

Rodney fumed. "Unacceptable."

Woolsey sighed. "I heard you the first time, Doctor."

Sheppard stalked out. Rodney followed.

"I'm not done with you, Colonel. If he goes through the gate, he'll be demoted. I'll make the Czech second-in-command."

"You'll demote a hero that General O'Neill has personally commended three times? Not if you want to keep your job."

The support staff averted their eyes. They were used to Doctor McKay's tirades and had found it best to ride out the storm in silence. The Czech sat at one of the consoles. If the prospect of a promotion excited him, he didn't show it. Rodney gave him a dirty look.

"His performance is suffering. Maybe if he spent less time flirting with that blond floozy. Is she even old enough to _be_ a doctor?"

Sheppard wheeled around. "For all he's done, he deserves a little happiness!"

"What about me?"

"Name one brave thing you've _ever_ done."

"Well, I—"

"Exactly. Did Rodney McKay save Atlantis from a 'living shadow'? Did Rodney McKay liberate Atlantis from the Asurans? Did Rodney McKay save his own sister from kidnappers? No, Peter Kavanagh did. And he's twice the man you'll ever be."

_**The End**_

_**Thanks for reading. Reviews are appreciated.**_


	2. Chapter 2: Mainstream Reality

**Disclaimer: **MGM owns SGA; KOI does NOT.

**Note: **800 words.

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**What if...**

**Rodney McKay Never Joined a Gate Team?**

**Part 2**

**by koinekid**

The force of Rodney's voice penetrated his office walls, but Jennifer couldn't make out what he said. She considered entrusting the bag of takeout to one of his subordinates and working through lunch, but her growling stomach got the better of her. "Why are you so grumpy this time?" she mused.

On the other side of the door, she expected to find her lunch date red-faced and dressing down a staffer. But no subordinate bore the brunt of his ire; this time that dubious honor fell to his supposed best friend.

Sheppard was shaking his head. "I'm telling you, McKay, it doesn't matter. What counts is what happens here."

Rodney's mouth twisted into a snarl. "Easy for you to say. You were the same."

"You had your department."

"But I didn't have..." He trailed off as his eyes fell on Jennifer.

She waved. "Hi, honey."

Sheppard recognized his opportunity for a hasty exit and breezed past Jennifer. "Good luck, Doc. You'll need it."

While Rodney glared after the colonel, Jennifer cleared space on the desk. She pulled up a chair. "How was the mission?"

He crossed his arms. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Okay." She began unpacking their lunches – spaghetti for her, veal for him – taking care to unwrap his plasticware and twist the lid off his bottle of water. Tucking the napkin into his collar would have been overkill, so she smiled sweetly and dug in.

"Mmm. The cooks outdid themselves." She twirled spaghetti onto her fork. "Here, try."

He blurted out, "Are you happy? You know, with me?"

She lowered the fork. "Of course I am. Did something happen today?" Since reassigning Team Sheppard's post-mission physicals to another doctor, Jennifer was sadly out of the loop with off-world gossip.

"Look, I know I'm this big time action hero or whatever, and sometimes women can be blinded by that allure." Rodney sighed. "Is it _me_ you want to be with, or would any sufficiently intelligent guy who knew his way around a P90 float your boat?"

"Float my—?" She reached across the desk and clutched his hand. "Rodney, you're babbling."

"Bet Kavanagh never babbled."

"_Peter_ Kavanagh?" Jennifer frowned. "I wouldn't know."

"Not in this universe, anyway," Rodney muttered.

"I'm happy to keep up the conversation, hon. But at some point, I will need an explanation."

He poked at his veal, sawing off a piece and chewing sullenly. Jennifer watched and waited.

At last, "On the mission, we encountered a gate team from another reality. I – I wasn't on the team."

"Maybe you're part of another," Jennifer offered. "Lorne's maybe. I'll bet you and Lorne are best friends there."

"Not according to their Sheppard. Apparently, I don't go off world. I hole up in my lab and..." He wave a hand in frustration.

"And leave the field work to others," she concluded. "Like Kavanagh. I suppose he was on the team you encountered?"

Rodney nodded. "He was actually bearable for a change. Hell, he was likable. More likable than—"

Jennifer placed a hand over his mouth. "Let your girlfriend be the judge of that." At his sheepish look, she realized. "Oh."

"Yeah. Before they went home, Kavanagh asked about you. Said _his_ girlfriend would get a kick out of hearing about her alternate life." Anger flashed in Rodney's eyes. "Not one of them believed we were together. But then why should they? People _here_ don't believe it."

"Does it really matter what they think?" Jennifer smiled reassuringly. "We know, and the people we care about know."

"I don't care what they think. Not really."

"Then what?"

Another sigh. "The Rodney McKay they described is a lonely, bitter shell of a man. No friends, and definitely no girlfriend." He shook his head. "With a few different choices, I could have become that man, Jennifer."

"And if that man had made the right choices," Jennifer insisted, "he could have become you. That's _his_ problem."

"You think it's that simple?"

"I know it is. Mom used to say that people are responsible for the choices we make, not the ones we could have made. I can't answer for the actions of another Jennifer Keller any more than you can for those of another Rodney McKay. All I know is that _this_ Jennifer loves you." She leaned forward and pressed a tender kiss to his lips. "And you deserve her love."

She could see the gears turning in his mind as he considered her words. Slowly, surely, the tension drained away. "Wise woman," he commented.

Jennifer nodded. "She was."

"Actually," Rodney said, "I meant you."

"Oh." Jennifer fought a blush and lost the battle. "Thanks. Now hurry and eat your lunch. It's getting cold."

"Let me try some of that." He indicated the spaghetti. "That's good. Veal?"

"Yes, please."

**End of Part 2**

**Thanks for reading. Reviews are appreciated.**


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